Latest news with #Njue
Business Insider
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Next pope: Why a leading African cardinal might not participate in papal election
A wave of concern is sweeping parts of the Catholic world following reports that one of Africa's most senior cardinals may miss the next papal election. Kenyan Cardinal John Njue is expected to miss the upcoming papal conclave due to health concerns, as clarified by the Archdiocese of Nairobi. Cardinal Njue's absence has sparked debate about African representation in the Catholic Church's highest decision-making body. Of the 135 eligible electors for the next pope, 18—representing 17 African nations—are from Africa, constituting 13% of the total. Fresh details have emerged explaining the likely absence of Africa's Cardinal John Njue (Kenya) from the highly anticipated papal election. As the Church prepares to elect a successor to Pope Francis, whose death last month marked the end of an era, the potential absence of a leading African voice has sparked renewed debate over representation, transparency, and health in the Vatican's highest ranks. Cardinal electors under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for the next pontiff. Of the 135 electors expected to participate, 18 are from Africa—accounting for 13% of the total and representing a continent that is now home to nearly 20% of the world's Catholic population. The Cardinals are expected to gather at 10 a.m. Vatican time on May 7 for the traditional ' Pro Eligendo Romano Pontefice ' Mass at St. Peter's Basilica before proceeding to the Sistine Chapel for the conclave. However, 79-year-old Cardinal Njue—Kenya's second-ever cardinal and Archbishop Emeritus of Nairobi—is not expected to attend. In an earlier interview with a local Kenyan newspaper, Cardinal Njue hinted at confusion surrounding his absence. 'It's not because of health... I don't know really... it's difficult to comment about it, ' he said, raising questions about whether an official invitation was ever extended. However, officials from the Catholic Church in Kenya later clarified that the cardinal had indeed received an invitation but was unable to travel due to health reasons. Kenya's Catholic church clarifies Njue's absence The Archdiocese of Nairobi has issued a formal statement to address growing speculation and misinformation surrounding the absence of Cardinal John Njue from the ongoing papal conclave. According to the statement, there had been 'various enquiries' regarding whether the cardinal would join his peers in Rome to elect the next pope. ' Although he [Njue] is eligible to participate and was officially invited... owing to his current health condition, he will be unable to travel to Rome, ' the statement, signed by Archbishop Philip Anyolo, clarified. While the archbishop did not specify the nature of the health concerns, he urged the faithful to keep Cardinal Njue in their prayers: ' Let us also continue to pray for the good health of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue.' Cardinal Njue, who served as Archbishop of Nairobi from 2007 until his retirement in 2021, was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007—becoming Kenya's second-ever cardinal. Though still under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote, he, along with Spain's Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, are the only two out of the 135 eligible electors not expected to take part in the conclave. Eligible African cardinals The College of Cardinals currently includes 29 members from 23 African countries. Of these, 18 are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a papal conclave—15 of whom were appointed by Pope Francis. These electors represent 17 nations: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, and Tanzania. However, growing concerns surround the participation of some of the continent's senior cardinals due to age or health-related issues. Among the oldest eligible African electors(All 79 years) are Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop Emeritus of Nairobi; Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédraogo, Archbishop Emeritus of Ouagadougou; and Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, Archbishop Emeritus of Abidjan.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Conclave mystery as African cardinal claims he 'hasn't been invited' to join voting for new Pope - while Vatican insists his non-attendance is due to 'poor health'
The conclave to elect a new Pope has been hit by a controversy after an African cardinal claimed he 'hadn't been invited'. Cardinal John Njue, 79, is eligible to join the other 133 cardinals, from 70 countries, who are gathering in the Vatican for the start of the secretive process which begins this afternoon in the Sistine Chapel. But in an interview the Kenyan clergyman suggested dark forces were at work in a scenario that could have come straight out of Ralph Fiennes papal blockbuster Conclave. Speaking to Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation cardinal Njue said:' Those who go there for the election are usually sent official invites, and that has not happened on my part. 'The fact is that I have not been invited. I don't know why I've been excluded, if I'm not there it's not because I am in poor health.' Italian media immediately jumped on his comments and said it had 'sparked mystery and intrigue'. Cardinal Njue, who is Archbishop of Nairobi, has been at the forefront of preparations for the conclave after he and another African cardinal had their 'official ages' revised by the Vatican. Earlier this month the Vatican updated its directory to say that Cardinal Njue was born in 1946 – changing it from 1944 – making him eligible to vote in the conclave. While cardinal Philippe Quedraogo had his date of birth listed initially as January 1945 making him too old as the cut off is 80 for the conclave but it was then revised to December 1945 meaning he could vote. In a statement Cardinal Njue's diocese in Nairobi appeared to contradict him as they insisted he was 'unable to take part because of ill health' adding 'let us pray for his good health'. Cardinal Njue was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict in 2007 and is seen as a conservative, strong on family values and traditional Church teachings and not cut from the same cloth as the more liberal Pope Francis. A Vatican spokesperson insisted that cardinal Njue had 'been invited but was not attending because of poor health'. One commentator said:' It's a intriguing situation – the cardinal claims he isn't ill and the Vatican says he is – who is telling the truth ? Does someone not want him at the conclave?' Cardinals will gather this morning at 10am local time for a mass inside St Peter's Basilica led by cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, before heading off to the Sistine Chapel this afternoon for the first vote to decide who will succeed Pope Francis who died last month aged 88. Once at the Chapel the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, will shout out in Latin 'Extra omnes,' 'all out,' and anyone not eligible to vote leaves, the doors close, and the process will begin. On Tuesday the 133 cardinals who are eligible to vote gathered at the Santa Marta guest house in the Vatican where they will stay for the duration of the conclave cut off from the outside world. They will not have access to any electronic communication and the Sistine Chapel has also been swept for bugs to ensure no one can listen in as the cardinals debate who should lead the Catholic Church. The telephone signal will also be jammed from 3pm so that no one can contact them as they debate under the hallowed, frescoed ceiling of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, 'guided only by God and the Holy Spirit' as to who should be Pope. The first votes will be cast this evening, and the world will know the outcome when smoke is seen coming from the roof of the Sistine Chapel – white smoke means a Pope has been chosen while black means the jury is still out. The winner is whoever gets two thirds of the votes, and tonight's first smoke is expected to be black while some Italian. Media is speculating a decision could come as early as Thursday night. To get the colour of the smoke the ballot papers are burnt and chemicals are added and there are two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon with the cardinals returning to Santa Marta in between for meals. Wine is allowed but spirits are banned and the favourite at the moment is said to be Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis number two and Vatican Secretary of State, who is said to have around 50 cardinals backing him. In the last Conclave to elect Pope Francis, cardinals took two days, and it was the same length of time for Pope Benedict. The shortest Conclave was ten hours while the longest was just under three years in 1294.
Herald Malaysia
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Kenyan cardinal claims he wasn't invited for conclave
Vatican says invite is automatic, but comment set off a flurry of headlines and online chatter in Kenya May 07, 2025 The then-Argentinian cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (left), who was later elected as pope, and Kenyan cardinal John Njue leave during a break in a meeting of a conclave to elect a new pope on March 4, 2013, at the Vatican. (Photo: AFP) By Ines San Martin, OSV News Of the 135 cardinals eligible to enter the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect the next pope, one absence has sparked confusion, controversy and no small amount of speculation, almost as if it were a plot point of the movie "Conclave." Kenyan Cardinal John Njue, 79, will not take part in the election of the 267th pope, despite technically being eligible to vote. The reason? That depends on whom you ask. In an interview published May 5 by The Daily Nation , a leading Kenyan daily, Cardinal Njue offered a surprising explanation for his absence: "Those who go there for the election are usually sent official invites, and that has not happened on my part," he said. "The fact is that I have not been invited." The comment set off a flurry of headlines and online chatter in Kenya, adding yet another twist to the story of a cardinal who has, over the years, been repeatedly declared dead on social media -- wrongly, of course. To complicate matters further, official Vatican records have quietly edited his age. For years, Cardinal Njue was listed as born in 1944, which would have made him ineligible to vote in this conclave. But the 2024 edition of the Annuario Pontificio , the Vatican's official yearbook, now records his birthday as January 1, 1946 -- just young enough to participate. That revision was first reported in Italian media in 2024. In Radiotelevisione Svizzera , Vatican journalist Paolo Rodari summed it up this way: "An absence announced. ... The Kenyan prelate, several times declared dead on social media, was last seen on April 25 at a Mass in memory of Pope Francis. But he will not be able to make the trip to Rome." A day after Cardinal Njue's remarks were published, the archdiocese issued an official statement from Archbishop Philip Anyolo, aiming to clear the air. According to the May 6 press release, Cardinal Njue was invited through the apostolic nunciature in Kenya, and the archbishop had to decline due to health reasons. "In response to various inquiries concerning whether His Eminence John Cardinal Njue, will be participating in the forthcoming conclave," Archbishop Anyolo wrote, "I hereby confirm that although His Eminence is eligible to participate and was officially invited to through the Apostolic Nunciature in Kenya," the apostolic nuncio, in concurrence with the office of the archbishop of Nairobi, "duly communicated the competent office of the Holy See that, owing to his current health condition, His Eminence John Cardinal Njue will be unable to travel to Rome and take part in the Conclave," the statement read. The statement from the archbishop makes it clear that it was he, Archbishop Anyolo, who along with the papal representative in the country, Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, declined the invitation on behalf of the cardinal. "Cardinal electors can participate 'de iure' (by law), they don't need an invitation to be present," said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office. "The dean of the college of cardinals might check if the cardinal is coming, and I believe this was the case with the cardinal from Kenya." Come May 7, 133 cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel -- all the members of the college of cardinals who are under the age of 80, minus Cardinal Njue and Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, who has himself confirmed he would not be coming to
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenya's cardinal to miss papal vote because of ill health
The Catholic Church in Kenya has responded to concerns that the country's only cardinal will not be participating in the election of the next pope because he had not been asked to attend. Following Pope Francis' death last month, senior Catholic leaders, known as cardinals, who are younger than 80, are eligible to elect his successor. They are due to begin meeting in the Vatican on Wednesday, but Kenyan Cardinal John Njue, 79, was quoted in a Kenyan newspaper saying that he had not been invited and he did not know why. Catholic officials in Kenya later said that he had been invited but was not able to go because of ill health. "Although [the cardinal] is eligible to participate and was officially invited... owing to his current health condition [he] will be unable to travel to Rome," a statement signed by Archbishop Philip Anyolo said. "Let us also continue to pray for the good health of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue." The archbishop did not explain the health issues further. Tuesday's statement by the Nairobi archdiocese noted that it was reacting to concerns over Cardinal Njue's participation and "various enquiries" about whether he would be at the cardinals' meeting, known as a conclave. The Daily Nation newspaper had quoted him as saying that he had not been invited adding that "it is not because of health... I don't know really... it's difficult to comment about it". Cardinal Njue was the Archbishop of Nairobi from 2007 until his retirement in 2021. He was appointed a cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI becoming the second cardinal to have come from the country. He and Spain's Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, 79, are the only cardinals who will not be participating in the papal vote out the 135 who are eligible. A two-thirds majority, or at least 89 of them, are required to elect the new pontiff and successor of Pope Francis to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. You may also be interested in: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenya's cardinal to miss papal vote because of ill health
The Catholic Church in Kenya has responded to concerns that the country's only cardinal will not be participating in the election of the next pope because he had not been asked to attend. Following Pope Francis' death last month, senior Catholic leaders, known as cardinals, who are younger than 80, are eligible to elect his successor. They are due to begin meeting in the Vatican on Wednesday, but Kenyan Cardinal John Njue, 79, was quoted in a Kenyan newspaper saying that he had not been invited and he did not know why. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Catholic officials in Kenya later said that he had been invited but was not able to go because of ill health. "Although [the cardinal] is eligible to participate and was officially invited... owing to his current health condition [he] will be unable to travel to Rome," a statement signed by Archbishop Philip Anyolo said. "Let us also continue to pray for the good health of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue." The archbishop did not explain the health issues further. Tuesday's statement by the Nairobi archdiocese noted that it was reacting to concerns over Cardinal Njue's participation and "various enquiries" about whether he would be at the cardinals' meeting, known as a conclave. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The Daily Nation newspaper had quoted him as saying that he had not been invited adding that "it is not because of health... I don't know really... it's difficult to comment about it". Cardinal Njue was the Archbishop of Nairobi from 2007 until his retirement in 2021. He was appointed a cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI becoming the second cardinal to have come from the country. He and Spain's Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, 79, are the only cardinals who will not be participating in the papal vote out the 135 who are eligible. A two-thirds majority, or at least 89 of them, are required to elect the new pontiff and successor of Pope Francis to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. You may also be interested in: [Getty Images/BBC] Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts
